


i saw you further from the edge (and you looked good)

by chrome_dome



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Apologies, Coping, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Transformers: Lost Light 25
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:26:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23474608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chrome_dome/pseuds/chrome_dome
Summary: Just a couple of conversations happening on Lost Light in the good timeline.
Relationships: Chromedome/Rewind (Transformers)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 25





	i saw you further from the edge (and you looked good)

**Author's Note:**

> sometimes things turn out okay in the end.

Rodimus waved down Chromedome and Rewind and then trotted up to them. "Heyyy it's been a minute," He walked in the direction of an empty hallway and gestured for them to follow. "How are you two doing?" 

Chromedome was about to answer when Rewind sharply squeezed his hand, cutting him off. Instead of answering, Rewind just glared at Rodimus. 

Rodimus put his hands up in a placating gesture. "Yeah, that's fair. I wanted to talk to you because I owe you an apology." Rodimus was looking down at Rewind, who's glare intensified in response. 

" _Who_ do you owe an apology?" Rewind's voice was clipped and clearly communicated the very specific tone of a person who is incredibly angry, but also entirely in control of their anger. Chromedome had been on the receiving end of that tone and it was never a pleasant experience. 

"Hey it's okay, it's not-" Chromedome started but got cut off by Rewind, who's ire still thankfully seemed to only be directed at Rodimus. 

"Nope. Rodimus, you were saying?" 

Without even thinking about it Chromedome flexed his fingers ever so slightly, a nervous habit, triggering the distinctive _snikt_ noise of the covers in his fingertips retracting. Quickly he withdrew them, hoping that no one had noticed.

Rodimus' hands fluttered awkwardly at his sides as he spoke. "Both of you. I owe both of you an apology. Especially you, Chromedome. I took advantage of your addiction without any regard for your health. At the time I thought I was just doing what was necessary but looking back on it what I did was messed up. I'm sorry, for whatever that's worth." Rodimus had the decency to look properly ashamed, a far cry from his usual enthusiastic, over-confident posture. 

Chromedome mostly just looked uncomfortable. "It's not like you forced me to do anything, I knew what it was doing to me and continued anyways." 

Rewind squeezed his hand. "Yes and I was mad at you for your part in this as well. But he absolutely should not have been encouraging you, let alone seeking you out and asking you to help him." Rewind's gaze was still icy when he turned to face Rodimus. "Thank you for your apology. It won't change the fact that you nearly cost my conjunx his life because of your-" 

Chromedome placed his hand on Rewind's shoulder and quieted him with a soft "Hey." 

Rewind vented in, then out, and when he spoke again he sounded much calmer. "I'm just glad you recognized your mistake and I hope you learned a lesson about not exploiting people for your own benefit." It came out almost pitched as a question, accompanied by a Look from Rewind. 

Rodimus was quick to nod enthusiastically. "Yep! Lesson learned! Won't do that again!" 

"Good." Rewind said. His voice wasn't exactly friendly, but it wasn't actively hostile either. 

Sensing the conversation was over Rodimus spoke up. "See you two around then?" He made finger guns at them, and, after getting an affirmative hum he walked off down the corridor. 

As soon as Rodimus' back disappeared around the corner of the hallway, Rewind turned to face Chromedome. His expression was unreadable. "I heard that you know." 

Chromedome frowned and tilted his head, not understanding. 

Rewind held Chromedome's hand between both of his, squeezing it tightly. "Your needles. I know that sound Domey. What happened? I thought you had had them removed." Something in his tone was almost pleading, hoping for, but not expecting, a good answer. 

"The needles are gone, I promise. They're somewhere in Ratchet's medical scrap bin at this point." Chromedome didn't meet Rewind's visor. 

"Then what was that noise? I know I heard it." 

Chromedome let his back thunk against the wall behind him and pulled his hand out of Rewind's grip. He slowly slid down the wall until he was sitting with his legs in front of him. He wrapped his arms around his shins and set his head on his knees. "My mnemosurgury needles weren't just stabby things, they were hyper specialized pieces of equipment. I could feel them, and used them to interact with the world around me in a totally different way. Even when I wasn't using them there was something about just having them, knowing they were there and what I could do with them. It was like having a whole other sense." 

Rewind sat cross legged in front of him and patiently listened. 

"They were as much a part of my body as anything else. When they got taken out, it felt like I had lost a limb or something." He drummed his fingers on the front of his shin, a quick staccato drumroll. "I thought that eventually I would adjust to the feeling, but I didn't. It was a constant nagging sense of missing something, and I couldn't ignore it." 

He paused, staring up at the ceiling. "Sometimes it would itch or hurt so badly that I had to keep myself from tearing off the plating on my hands. " He rubbed at a spot on the back of his hand, right behind the knuckle. 

"I told Ratchet and he suggested these. I got them put in the same night." Before Rewind could ask what "these" were, he steamrollered on. "They've helped a lot. It's not perfect but I don't have the same feeling of missing something anymore. And they just… feel good I guess." 

Hesitantly Chromedome raised up one hand and with a _snikt_ extended a set of claws. They weren't that big, slightly shorter than the tip of one of his digits, and they curved into a sharp, slightly hooked, point. 

Rewind took his hand to look at them more closely. "And what… what do these do?" He sounded wary. 

Chromedome used his free hand to rub at the back of his neck. "Um… nothing? They're pretty sharp but that's all. They don't do anything weird, I promise." 

Rewind's whole body language changed instantly going from on-edge, to relieved. "Oh! That's great then! Domey, why didn't you tell me about these?" A note of sadness had crept into his tone. 

Chromedome looked bewildered. "Because I thought you'd be angry?" 

"Why on Cybertron would I be angry?" It was Rewind's turn to sound baffled now. 

"Because I couldn't deal with living without the needles? Because I still felt like I needed them back and couldn't just move on?" 

Rewind gently thwacked one of his shins. "I'm a little upset that you didn't tell me you were going through that, I don't want you to feel like you're suffering on your own. But these?" He held up Chromedome's hand and traced the tip of a claw. "These are a coping mechanism Domey, and honestly a really good one. They're harmless to your health, and they look pretty cool too. 

"Getting your needles removed was a big change and I was surprised when you _didn't_ seem to be having any trouble adjusting. I wish you had come to me about it, but mostly I'm just happy for you." 

Chromedome took a moment to respond, and when he did there was a trace of static in his voice. "Oh. I hadn't thought of it like that." 

"Yeah, because you're an idiot sometimes." Even without a mouth, Chromedome could still hear the smile in Rewind's words. 

Chromedome rearranged his legs so he was also sitting cross-legged and pulled Rewind into his lap. " _Your_ idiot." 

Rewind snuggled closer with a soft chuckle. "Yeah. You are." 

Chromedome rested his forehead on the top of Rewind's helm and for a moment the two of them just relaxed in the comfortable silence. 

"Hey Rewind?" 

Rewind made a little humming 'uh huh?' noise in response. 

"I love you." 

Rewind brought one of Chromedome's hands up to his mouthplate in his version of a kiss. "Love you too Chromedome." 

**Author's Note:**

> i'm a Soft gay bitch, what do you want. 
> 
> don't get me wrong, i love roddy, but that boy has... made some mistakes. 
> 
> this was honestly a bit of copefic that turned out good so i'm posting it. 
> 
> thank you for reading! feedback, questions, constructive criticism, and the true name of a bird you saw the other day are all welcome!


End file.
